Searchin Free BMD

[Lalee]

Hello
Not only am I new to this site I am new, or fairly new, to researching the family history anyway. I have been reading a lot of old posts on here and find them fascinating even when they are not names in my own search. I've also poked about on some of the sites so helpfully recommended by the folks on here. FreeBMD has been mentioned so I tried putting a name in, Albone from Arlesey and it tells me I can't search by district and county. I tried to put Biggleswade but got the same message. I tried Bedfordshire...same message. I am not highlighting both so where am I going wrong please?
How do I get rid of either the district or county?
I suspect I am being really dim.

[groom]

Welcome to Rootschat.

I find that Freebmd can be temperamental sometimes. If I get a result like that I usually come out of it, go back and start again rather than trying to change things. Make sure as well that you remove any highlights by clicking on them again. Also remember to put in surname first - I've been caught a couple of times by forgetting to do that and then not getting any results.

If you want to give the full name and dates ( as long as they are not still alive) we can see what we can find.

[fastfusion]

Since 95 percent of entries of Albone family surname come from Biggleswade, I wouldnt even bother to click on either county or placename box.   To save one heck of a lot of time on the net , why dont you copy and paste every certificate for the family name into a text or word document ;    then put the surname in spouse name box [ removing from other]click on marriages to get the spouses, then click on births to get the reversal births after 1911.      then you have a file where you can throw all corresponding entries into a placement with the WRO reference number such as dod, bod, md or probate etc etc....  If you then place census in the doc with a different text colour for your needs you can interpaste GROs or other material.......   just some ideas....

[Ruskie]

I generally only enter name and county (if known) - I find that if you enter dates the search takes ages - and especially with more uncommon names it is easy to scroll down to the dates you require in the results anyway.

Particularly with marriages if a couple married in the bride's parish, unless you know where that is, it can be best to omit counties and place names.

Less information can give better results especially with less common names. Use asterisks in names where spellings may vary. It's all trial and error.

Keep in mind that FreeBMD is a work in progress and not all areas are complete yet so if an ancestor cannot be found this may be why. 

PS. Welcome to rootschat Lalee. 

[Lalee]

Thank you for replying. I will try and go back in. I did put the name in first but having clicked on both county and district I then removed each one in turn and even tried it with neither and still got the dreaded box up!
The name I was looking up was Silvanus Albone. If I am trying a site I always try with him because he is the one name that is distinct amongst the Albones especially in Bedfordshire. I know his parents so its a good check for me. I am not sure who his grandparents are. His father is James and mother Ann Charles but beyond that it seems there are differences of opinion as to his forbears. I did get prints from Luton family history centre some years ago and tried to work things out but with so many James and so on I became confused, especially when there are family trees on line that all have different connections but all claim to be thoroughly researched.
Anyway, back to topic, I was trying to work it out with the names I know are correct. Silvanus and Caroline Rook are my great grandparents, but I will probably need some help a bit later so thank you for your kind offer.

[groom]

From another site this is his baptism

Sylvanus Albone
Birth     13 Nov 1848
Baptism     31 Dec 1848
Arlesey, Bedford, England
Father:   James Albone
Mother:   Ann

But he isn't coming up on Freebmd unless he is one of the two male Albones registered in December.

[andycand]

Hi

FreeBMD have transcribed (incorrectly) his first name as SILAVNUS for his death registration age 81 March Qtr 1930

Andy

[bedfordshire boy]

I have Sylvanus in my tree, as he married into my Rook family, making him the husband of my 5th cousin twice removed! I have his parents, James Albon  and Ann Charles, and the 1838 marriage entry on the IGI at www.familysearch.org shows his father as Joseph Albon. James' age in 1861 was 49 born Arlesey and there's a baptism in Arlesey on 11 Aug 1811 of James son of Joseph and Susannah Albon (per parish register transcript). For some reason the IGI's Soundex doesn't seem to pick up Albon as a variant of Albone, so you need to search against both. Joseph Albon bachelor married Susannah Hall spinster both of Arlesey on 21 Feb 1811 at Arlesey (PR transcript)


David

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Not all births were registered in the early years of the system.


Nanny Jan